Chapter 124 – The Essence of the Magical Girl (4)
“Right here and now, I dare to call upon Asmael.”
Saint Elysia declared with a determined face, her hands clasped together. The group of angels was a collection of terrifyingly powerful beings.
However, they were bound by limitations that prevented them from fully exercising their power in this world, allowing me to roam freely. That’s why they always had to resort to tricks—sending only a portion of their power or appointing a proxy.
Given their strength, they could indeed resurrect Aria, whose soul was but a fragment left behind.
[Meeting with Yggdrasil? That’s a definite no.]
I chuckled as I watched the massive pillar of light erupting from the saint’s body pierce the dark night sky—the celestial realm unveiling before us.
Perhaps the angels beyond that sky desperately wanted Yggdrasil’s power; they hid their true nature only to seek a new life and freedom.
I had only been around for a mere 100 years, but those angels were bound in their shackle for eons.
[Well, I suppose they’re just a bunch of perverts who enjoy that sort of thing.]
“Demon King! The sky… has opened.”
Gabi muttered, staring blankly at the scene. The sky had, quite literally, opened up. Beyond the light shot forth through the saint, there was a place distinctly different from this world.
And in that dazzling light, he was nobly ascending.
[What drives one who seeks to conquer the world to gaze upon the celestial observer?]
Seraph Asmael, the angelic administrator of the Celestial Realm, floated above, staring directly at me. The tone he used to distinguish between the world and the celestial realm was not one I found appealing.
[It’s nothing much. Just looking to strike a deal here.]
[Deal? In such secrecy, are we?]
His large lone eye blinked curiously. From a human perspective, angels were certainly not a beautiful race.
Some looked somewhat human… Yet at least Seraph Asmael was a six-armed giant with a muscular body glowing silver, a sleek face, and a large single eye placed right in the middle of his forehead.
[My request is simple. Restore this soul to her complete form. Well, I think you’re going to like this.]
[An… interesting proposition.]
I sent Aria’s soul, which Gabi had been holding, up to him. Her essence flew upwards like a tiny firefly, eventually landing in one of his hands.
[It’s a wounded soul. However… this is!]
His single eye widened as my anticipated reaction unfolded, and I couldn’t help but roll my eyes slightly.
[A soul with the indomitable will worthy of a hero? Demon King Takilas, have you the audacity to breach the covenant and kill the seed of a hero?!]
[Surprised that you’re seeing me? If I killed her, would I have brought her here? She is a human from another world, so you might not want to take interest in her.]
I was taken aback by his excited words, and one of my tentacles waved about in disbelief.
[It’s not impossible.]
Fortunately, the true Asmael calmed down and sent back a positive response.
[But I need more answers. Another world? What does that mean?]
[Would it matter if you’re interested? You guys can’t even touch it anyway.]
[Don’t get cocky, Demon King.]
For a moment, a battle of nerves ensued between us. I didn’t want to mention Earth. After all, as I mocked him earlier, they wouldn’t be able to touch the surface anyway.
Knowing this, Asmael couldn’t push me further. Fighting now was already impossible.
[Since we’re discussing a deal, I too have a request.]
[Anything.]
[If any of the angels make you a secret proposal, don’t accept it.]
[…What?]
Perhaps giving up on probing, Asmael shifted his stance as if doing so was his right. This took me by surprise, leaving me stunned. This was truly unexpected.
[Peace must be maintained. However, the true justice of the heavens has yet to determine its path. You must know well, but Takilas, there is no answer to justice.]
[You’re making a fair point, huh?]
[Some angels have begun to harbor doubts about whether this peace we maintain is true order and justice, through healthy discussion.]
Asmael provided me unexpectedly large information. Shocked, I paused to think, waiting for him to continue speaking.
[I am an observer. I have no right to block them. If the differences in opinions cannot be narrowed, they will eventually attempt to prove it by their own means.]
[I don’t get it. If the current state isn’t justice, do you think it’s right to revert to that dreadful time of the great war?]
[Those who think our essence is that.]
Asmael did not deny it. I scoffed in disbelief. At this rate, who could tell who’s the demon lord and who’s the angel?
[Whether they sway you or provoke you, I want to avoid it spiraling into an all-out war.]
[That’s the same on my side. This is crazy. You should just keep your own house in order.]
It was precisely because the Demon Realm’s peace was maintained that I enjoyed my leisurely life. I had no desire for war either.
However, given that I was already provoked once, ignoring it was impossible for the demons. I had been given a rather difficult request.
[…Just keep that in mind. I will continue to think of ways as well.]
Asmael enveloped Aria’s soul with his six hands, and soon he unleashed an enormous light, returning it to me.
With just that action of gathering his hands, Asmael bent and manipulated the laws of the world.
I instinctively knew that the returned soul of Aria was poised to return to her original body once activated.
[Don’t worry. I dislike war too.]
I assured the fading Asmael.
Soon the light vanished, and the sky turned dark once more.
“Saint!”
“Are you alright?!”
The priests caught the staggering saint. Just summoning her for a conversation had left that holy powerhouse exhausted.
“Did you… manage to talk well?”
As I approached, she forced a smile, gasping for breath. The conversation I just had with Asmael was one only she and I knew.
[Plenty. You did well.]
As much as I wanted to assist her, holy power opposed demon magical power. Touching her carelessly would only taint her.
[Please go back carefully. This conference is over.]
They parted ways with us; they returned, and we headed back toward the Demon King’s Castle.
[Gabi. As soon as we return, summon Robert. We’ll need to hold an emergency meeting with the higher-ups.]
However, I couldn’t head straight to Earth with the resurrected Aria just yet.
*
[…]
In the closed connection, Asmael, staring blankly at the ground, observed Takilas headed back to the Demon Realm through the hazy screen.
Once he entered the Demon Realm, pursuing him further was impossible. After all, the ruler of the Demon Realm was clearly the Demon King, and even the Seraph of the Celestial Realm couldn’t overstep that authority.
[He was no ordinary human.]
Instead, Asmael turned his attention elsewhere.
The lingering sensation in his hand. During the process of reconstructing Aria’s existence, he had broken it down into smaller parts, one by one.
[…A pleasure to meet you, otherworldly transcendent.]
Using that as a clue, he twisted the space around him.
In an instant, Asmael moved through space and looked upon the enormous Cosmic Tree, which observed him with a startled expression.
“This is quite surprising… Are you, perhaps, also here to become a Magical Girl?”
[Magical Girl.]
Having encountered this situation before, Asmael squinted his eyes at Yggdrasil’s somewhat natural remark.
“A Magical Girl is a flawless being who judges evil and realizes justice based on dreams and hopes. Do you wish to become one too?”
[Judgment and justice—both are fleeting and ambiguous. Do you impose your will on those beneath you, allowing them to debate those concepts?]
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